The Dark Path (Part 14 of the series)
by Justright
Summary: Will Phoebe get a second chance.


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The Dark Path

She feels like she's floating on a cloud. A rainbow of colors is passing in front of her and everything seems to accelerate at an incredible rate. Then nothing, for the longest time.

Piper's voice echoes in her mind:

-Phoebe… Phoebe. Come on. I need to talk to you.

Phoebe opens her eyes with difficulty as if they were taped together. She wonders if she is still dreaming but the voice insists:

-Phoebe! Wake up. You must hear me out!

Phoebe finally manages to look up at her sister, but she can barely recognize her. Her hair is blond, she seems older than she remembers and more bitter. The Piper that she knows always had this sweetness about her even when angry. But looking at her now, even calm and composed she seems hard and severe.

-What happened to you? She asks with cotton in her mouth. She licks her lips and coughs a little trying to clear her voice.

Piper:

-It's a long story Phoebe, and I brought you here to change it, if it's still possible…

That she said with such sorrow that Phoebe feels her heart sink.

-What is here?

Piper:

-It's the future, a bleak and sad future Phoebe. I need you to listen carefully…

Phoebe still shocked by all this has trouble focussing on her:

-Piper what are you talking about?

The hard expression returns on her sisters face and she just replies:

-Just listen…

Phoebe gives her full attention to her sister, a deep sense of foreboding forming in her now…

Piper:

-It all goes back to the year 2001, when we were still unsure about your future and ours.

That morning had seemed like any others, Phoebe had been noxious just about every morning for the last month and couldn't wait for that very unpleasant part of her pregnancy to end. She got up very fast and ran to the bathroom, angry with her own body that it could take control of her so completely. Returning to the bedroom, she finds Cole still asleep and for some reason it makes her angry. Angry that she bears the burden, and she wishes that he had some of it. Men do have it easy! Instead of waking him up, she puts on a robe and storms out of the room, angry at just about everything. 

In the back of her mind, she realizes that it's probably just those pesky hormones that are also playing with her mood but she can't help it.

She enters the kitchen and goes to the cupboard without a word to Prue, who is already having her breakfast. 

Prue:

-Good morning Phoebe!

Phoebe just ignores her. She is only thinking of the absurdity of being hungry just after throwing up. One more thing she's read about pregnant women. That just makes her angrier with herself and she shrugs in frustration.

Prue insists:

-Hey good morning!

Phoebe finally acknowledges her sister with a grunt.

Prue:

-Feeling bad again this morning?

Phoebe:

-What do you care? You think I'm a loser anyway…

Prue:

-What's got into you? I don't think that at all.

Phoebe:

-Don't lie to me. I know what you think. That I should not be having his baby and that I get what I deserve.

Prue feels a bit guilty because indeed she still does not approve completely of her sister's relationship, but she tries to avoid it:

-You can't think that I wished you were sick now, can you?

Phoebe doesn't answer and instead picks up some of the crackers they say will help. She still has to see a result.

Prue

-Come on, Phoebe I'm sure this morning thing will go away soon and hopefully your good mood will be back at the same time…

Phoebe turns to her ready for a fight, but then the nausea returns and she storms out of the kitchen without another word. She crosses path with Cole who was coming down looking for her. His smile disappears when he sees her expression.

-Phoebe?

-Leave me alone, all of you…

Then she runs upstairs leaving him perplex and hurt at her attitude. 

Phoebe returning from yet another unpleasant moment in the bathroom is mortified at her outburst now. She decides to go downstairs and apologize but when she gets near the kitchen the loud voices stop her.

"Prue:

-You're making her miserable, she's never been this angry in the last 3 years. I wish she'd never met you.

Cole is furious now:

-We all know that the almighty, all knowing Prue cannot be wrong about anything. You'll never accept that we can be happy together.

Prue:

-How dare you! You're the half demon, the very one who tried to kill us remember? Don't come here and play the offended one."

She hears him almost growl at that, then he storms out, barely noticing her and he gets out of the house without another word.

She enters the kitchen decided to tell her sister to stop interfering in her life:

-When are you going to leave him and me alone? She screams at her sister who is still reeling from her animated discussion with Cole.

Prue without thinking replies abruptly:

-Maybe when he is out of our lives. But of course, that won't happen now that you have gone and got yourself pregnant.

Phoebe feels her heart stop at the harshness of her sister's accusation. Now all fight is gone out of her. Only hurt remains. 

She can't bring herself to answer this attack as she feels if she tried she would start crying instead.

Although Prue knows that she went too far already, she doesn't apologize when she sees the hurt in her sister stare.

She takes her bag and leaves her alone. Phoebe sits heavily on a chair, just wondering how things could have gotten so bad so fast.

Paul has come to meet Prue at work and they decide to go for coffee since she has some free time. 

They sat in a corner beside an attractive couple who saluted them politely before returning to their own conversation. Prue was still thinking about this morning's fights with Cole and Phoebe and she distractedly answered back to them with a weak smile before turning to Paul:

-I'm sorry to impose that on you, but who else am I going to tell?

Paul says encouragingly:

-Go ahead, I'm listening…

Prue:

-It's the whole situation with Phoebe and Cole. I just can't get used to the idea of this half demon living with us and even being the father of her child. It's so incongruous to think about. How can this have gone so far?

Paul just nods and lets her continue. He knows that she needs to talk.

-I just can't wrap my brain around this. How can she not see what I see?

Or Piper sees for that matter. I'm so afraid that he will be the end of us.

Paul hesitates then asks:

-Where does that all come from? I thought that things had got better lately?

Prue still angry can't help but continue:

-He is just so full of himself. Coming and reproaching me my doubts about him. After all he's done to us. And Phoebe who is just defending him non stops.

Paul:

-She loves him you know that.

Prue almost transfers her anger to him now:

-Don't tell me that. If there is one thing I don't want to hear that's it.

Paul finally understands that no words of wisdom will make her feel better. He knows that all of this anger is more of an outburst due to some discussion she had earlier with them than to the real situation. 

By now, he himself has had time to appreciate the depth of Cole and Phoebe's commitment and to put his doubts aside. So he feels that maybe, a little time apart from the tense household could bring the peace back.

-Why don't we go somewhere for a few days? He says surprising her.

Prue:

-Heu?

Paul continues when he sees she at least pays attention:

-Yes just a couple days, we'll stay in touch but maybe all that's needed for you and Phoebe is a little time apart from each other, don't you think?

Prue hesitates then:

-Maybe you're right. I know I should not get that angry. It's just that… And then she smiles a little:

-You know what I think I'm getting pregnant mood swings too.

Paul is a bit taken aback:

-Hey you're not telling me…

Prue' smile widens and she lets him simmer a bit before answering:

-Of course not. I just mean sympathetic mood swings like fathers sometimes feel the same malaise as their wives.

Paul sigh of relief is almost comical.

Prue pretends to be offended and teases him:

-What? Would that be so terrible?

Paul doesn't really know what to answer to that.

Prue lets him off the hook:

-Come on, we're not there yet. She laughs a little.

He finally finds his voice:

-I'm sorry it just would have been a bit sudden.

Then he smiles:

-But not that terrible…

Prue:

-Gosh you look so sincere she says still teasing.

He doesn't answer. He is happy that the conversation has finally turned away from the unpleasant topic. 

Prue:

-So where would we go?

Paul:

-I have a little house in the country that seems appropriate to give you back you serenity and there is nobody around for miles he ads with an inviting smile.

Prue:

-Now I can't wait she says with an enticing smile of her own.

Her new good mood would have been shattered if she had noticed that the couple she had seen earlier was paying attention to her every word. After they left the restaurant, the man turns to his female companion with a victorious smile:

-I think we may have found our fugitive. But let's not lose our lead. Follow that woman and I'll give the news to the source.

The woman starts to get up but then asks:

-Are you sure?

He answers:

-How many half demon do you know?

She just smiles and goes after Prue.

Later when she goes to pack her bags, she tells Piper where she is going and Piper asks if everything is ok?

Prue:

-Why do you ask?

Piper:

-Well Phoebe seemed very upset this morning and she never really said why but she was kind of grunting and saying your name a couple times.

Prue decides not to go into it:

-Let's just say that my little vacation should help and leave it at that.

Piper:

-You won't tell me?

Prue:

-I prefer to keep this for when I return. I'm sure I'll feel better then and it won't be so important anymore.

Piper:

-If you really think so?

Prue:

-Yes I do. Anyway, just tell her that I'm sorry and will talk to her when I come back ok?

Piper:

-Right. Gotcha.

Outside the house the female that was following Prue is wondering about this place. 

"Is it possible that the one we've been looking for everywhere is simply living here like any other mortal?" That thought seems so incongruous, she is tempted to give up on her surveillance. But then the impossible becomes real when she sees him coming back toward the house. She cannot believe her luck and mentally calls her male companion to her.

Cole had been away for a while, he had been thinking a lot about what happened and even though he was still a bit angry with Prue, he had made up his mind to make amend at all cost. Even now walking toward the house he was still amazed at how much it mattered to him that his relationship with Phoebe worked. And most of all, wondering at the depth of his feelings for her. He had known many form of attractions for women in his life and knew that the evil part of him could only lust after them, not love. Still, he had seen demons go over the deep end for that very lustful feeling. "Am I just feeling like this because of my demon's passion, he asked himself or is it really human love." But every time he questioned himself in this manner his human intuition would tell him the answer to this: he felt both. There was no other way to explain his passion for her. Even though he had repressed his demon side for her, he knew that it still was part of him. Either way, it didn't matter anymore. All that did was that things got back on track with her and he knew he had to make peace yet again with her sisters for that to happen.

Prue is ready now and she goes to the door to see if Paul has arrived when she notices that Cole is coming back. But two other people are following him and she thinks she remembers having seen them at the restaurant this morning. She wonders what they are doing here?

The answer to that question comes very soon. Cole is halfway up the driveway when they reach him and the two of them catch him by the shoulders. He doesn't have time to react before they blinked him away under Prue's horrified gaze. 

-Oh no!

Piper hears her scream and comes rushing to the door.

-What happened she asks out of breath.

Prue just stares at her for a moment then she says:

-Oh my god Piper, they found him…

Piper doesn't need more explanation and she looks up to the second floor:

-Phoebe…

Prue is deeply upset now. 

She just says:

-It's my fault. Piper I did that it's my fault…

Piper still under the shock of her first revelation looks at her sister, confounded:

-What do you mean?

Prue seems so devastated that Piper becomes even more upset:

-Prue what happened? She asks nervously.

Prue:

-The couple, they heard me talk about Cole this morning at the restaurant…

Piper:

-What are you talking about?

Prue turns to her sister, the remorse written all over her face now:

-I was upset about a fight we had this morning with Phoebe then with Cole and I talked to Paul of how worried I was about Phoebe dating a half demon…

Piper:

-And you think they heard…

Prue just whispers:

-Yes…

The two sisters turn in block when they hear the very upset voice of their sister:

-What did you do?

Prue tries to talk to her:

-Phoebe I…

But the look on her sister's face stops her short.

Phoebe:

-What happened?

Piper picks up for her sister:

-Phoebe… I' m afraid they just got Cole.

They apparently followed Prue here and they took him away.

Phoebe seems about to scream, and then her expression turns to fury that she directs altogether at her older sister:

-It's your fault she says in a steady but deathly tone. I'll never forgive you. 

She doesn't give them the chance to explain and runs upstairs slamming her bedroom door shot behind her.

Prue and Piper cringe at the loud noise and then look at each other in total dismay.

For the next 3 days, the house felt like a wake. None of the sisters would talk louder than a whisper. Phoebe didn't say anything more to Prue at all. Not a word. Prue had cancelled her romantic trip, but after those 3 days she wished she had not. The atmosphere of the house was untenable. 

After 3 days, Phoebe who had been hoping against all hope that he would return just made a decision. Piper found her packing her bags in her bedroom and tried to convince her to stay:

-Phoebe you can't go. Think before you do this. I know it hurts but you knew it could happen…

Phoebe finishes to close her bag before turning to her sister:

-I may have known about that, but I didn't know that Prue was capable of such a thing.

Piper is confused now:

-Come on Phoebe she didn't do it on purpose.

Phoebe suddenly more animated:

-Didn't she? She hated him. She told me she wanted him out of our lives that very morning. How can I believe now that she didn't find a way to make him go?

Piper:

-Phoebe that's not true.

Phoebe:

-You may believe what you want, I know what I know and I can't live in the same house as her anymore. She destroyed my life.

Piper is so stunned that she doesn't know what else to say and Phoebe walks passed her to go out of the room without another word.

Phoebe is coming down the stairs with her bag when she sees that Prue is in the living room. When Prue looks up at her, Phoebe turns away pretending that she didn't see her as she has been doing for the last 3 days but this time Prue won't have it and she goes to her:

-Phoebe you have to talk to me.

Then she notices the bag:

-What are you doing?

Finally Phoebe answers her sister in a flat voice:

-I'm leaving… For good.

Prue:

-No you can't!

Phoebe in the same tone of voice:

-Don't try and stop me. I never want to see you again. 

Prue is devastated:

-Phoebe I swear to you, I never meant to hurt him or you.

Phoebe just gives her an icy look:

-I'm sure that's what you tell yourself…

Then she resolutely goes to the door and leaves without looking back.

Piper who had finally managed to force herself to move had heard the last part of the conversation with a deepening sense of dread. They had fought before many times, but never did it feel so definitive.

After her younger sister left, she looked back at Prue to see her sit heavily on the couch and put her head in her hands. Her pain so terrible that she couldn't even cry to relive it. Piper cried the tears that she couldn't for her. 

Phoebe is watching Piper, trying to wrap her brain around what she is saying to her. But all she retains is that Cole has been taken. 

She says in a little voice interrupting her:

-Cole…

Piper:

-He wasn't dead.

And seeing her sister smile she continues in a heavy voice:

-That would have been better for everybody…

Phoebe reacts violently at this:

-How can you say that?

Piper waits a moment before continuing:

-They didn't kill him but they took away the man you loved…

Phoebe:

-What?

Piper:

-Let me continue please, you have to understand.

Phoebe tries to calm down and awaits the rest of the story with dread.

A week later, the girls were still moping and somehow still hoping that Phoebe would come home once she had calmed down. 

But they never expected Cole to appear instead. He surprised them both in the living room one night. He just shimmered in and with a weird smile he simply asked to talk to Phoebe.

Piper and Prue were astounded and asked him what happened, but he just dismissed it and asked again about Phoebe as if nothing was the matter. So finally Piper told him about her.

He had looked at them with such contempt then they had backed away.

-Well, he said to Prue, you finally managed to throw her out too. What a surprise.

This was said so offhandedly that the girls started to wonder about him.

Prue:

-What happened to you she asked suspiciously?

He smiled cruelly and answered:

-I came to my senses is what.

Being betrayed by so called friends will do that to you every day. But at least now I know Phoebe will see it my way.

Then he had not given them the chance to react simply adding before shimmering out:

-I'll be back for you and this time I will get you.

Phoebe back to the future/present:

-He could never have said that.

Piper is irritated by the interruption but still explains:

-You don't know what had happened down there and actually we were never really sure but we surmised that they managed to convince him that Prue and me had betrayed him. They may have tried to convince him of your betrayal too but my guess is he never believed that of you.

Still eventually, he let his demon take over and he went to find you.

Phoebe gasps but says nothing, so Piper continues again:

After you left the house you found a little room to live in until you had decided what to do next. Every day you would return to the cemetery, still looking for a sign of him. So on one of those visits he was there:

-Phoebe?

Phoebe turns around thunderstruck. It had been 3 weeks now and she had lost all hope of ever seeing him again, but there he was, alright and smiling at her in a strange way. Then he came to her took her in his arms and kissed her hungrily. She responded in kind, but with tears of joy rolling down her cheeks. He then pulled away from her and she saw something disturbing in his expression. Not the lack of desire but the hardness of his expression.

Phoebe:

-What did they do to you?

He smiles slyly and says:

-They made me see the light so to speak. Now I know where I stand and I hope that you will see it too.

Phoebe unsure:  
-What do you mean?

He came closer and in a persuasive tone he said:

-They betrayed us both Phoebe. You know that, don't you?

Phoebe:

-Who?

Cole:

-Your sisters who else. They couldn't stand our love so they tried to separate us.

Phoebe hesitates. She had convinced herself of this but she is not sure she wants him to know that yet.

Seeing her hesitation he continues:

-Come with me Phoebe. Be with me forever. We'll raise our child together the way he should have been. No more fighting the inevitable.

Phoebe refuses to believe he wants her to turn now but she also feels betrayed and can't help thinking that he could be right in some deep dark corner of her mind. Still she tells him no and that she cannot do this.

He is disappointed and tells her so.

-But I won't give up on you Phoebe. I never have and I never will. We belong together, that's the only thing I'm sure of…

Then he disappeared again leaving her panting and scared. Full of desire for him and yet afraid of him.

Following that night he came back to her often, cajoling her, telling her how much he loved her and wanted her to be with him.

Eventually, Phoebe who really couldn't resist him caved in and let him have her completely. It didn't take long after this for her dark side to surge again. 

At the Halliwell's house events had been precipitating. Multiple attacks from demons and warlocks alike had left the girls continuously scared and discouraged. Only with Paul and Leo's help had they survived till now but they didn't know how much more they could take.

And one day a few months after Phoebe left she came back but not the Phoebe they had loved. She came back with him, and that day truly signified the end of the charmed ones.

Prue and Piper were trying to go on with their lives even though the situation made it very difficult and that night when they saw Phoebe and Cole shimmer in together they knew something terribly wrong had happened. Unfortunately, they were alone. Prue had understood that they probably had been watching the house waiting for such occasion and they took full advantage. 

Phoebe turned to Prue:

-Now is the time for retribution… And she blinked behind her putting her hands on her head and some bright light came out of her hands as Prue started to scream in pain. She had been too stunned to react at her sister's attack and when Piper tried to freeze Phoebe Cole jumped her and threw her against the wall rendering her unconscious. Leo finally orbed in but it was too late for Prue who died at her sister's hands, all he could do was take Piper away before they came after her.

Returning to the present/future:

Phoebe:

-That's not possible Piper none of this could have happened. Could it?

Piper:

-It all happened like I said, just because you didn't believe in us Phoebe. Cole would have trusted you if you had believed. He turned good because you were. But when he saw that you didn't trust us anymore it just confirmed what the Source had drilled in him. That we could have betrayed the both of you.

You have to believe in us Phoebe. 

You can change what happened, that is why I brought you here in this land of dreams. I'm talking to you from 5 years in the future. 5 years I have spent hiding. Leo and I are still alive but we live in fear. It took me a long time to figure out exactly what I would say to you and how I could change what happened. Now I can only hope that you will try and believe in us and yourself. If you do he will too and all of this will never happen.

Phoebe can't imagine how such a terrible faith may have come to all of them but she has to believe that her sister wouldn't lie to her. She understands now what she means by learning to trust completely. 

Then everything becomes fuzzy and she feels like she is floating again. 

From very far she still hears her sister telling her:

-Trust in us and everything will work out. Trust!

Phoebe wakes up with a start. She looks around herself in confusion. She somehow has the feeling that she's lived this moment before but has no time to dwell on this as the nausea returns and she runs to the bathroom. When she feels better, she comes out looking at Cole still asleep, and when the resentment starts to mount in her, she stops herself, stunned.

Instead of running out like she had the urge she goes back toward the bed and gently wakes him up.

Cole:

-Good morning. He says sleepily.

Then he asks:

-How are you today? Still feeling sick?

Phoebe:

-That's ok, I guess I have to endure that just a little longer and then it will be fine. She smiles a little even if she feels bad.

-I need to talk to you about something.

Cole now attentive:

-Yes?

Phoebe:

-I want you to know that none of us would ever betray you, no matter what.

Cole is a little puzzled:

-Where does that come from?

Phoebe caresses his face and just says:

-Just trust us ok? Please never forget that and everything will be fine.

He asks:

-Is there something you're not telling me?

Phoebe cuddling to him:

-Just that I have it on good authority that all we need is trust and nothing is ever going to come between all of us if we have that.

He gives up understanding but he still promises that he will remember.

Phoebe:

-I love you.

Cole:

-I love you too.

Later she comes downstairs and finds Prue doing the dishes.

Phoebe doesn't wait for her sister to say anything:

-Good morning she says pleasantly, just happy that she is ok.

Prue is surprised:

Well you must be feeling better.

Phoebe with a mysterious smile:

-Much better now. Then she goes to her sister and hugs her.

Prue hugs her back but still asks:

-Where did that come from?

Phoebe:

-Nothing really, just felt like it.

Prue smiles at her and somehow Phoebe now knows everything will be alright…


End file.
